Breast Augmentation FAQ

Considering a breast implants? Dr. Grawe shares all the information you need to know in this Breast Augmentation FAQ.

Maybe you were never blessed with a bounty of bosom, or maybe you are experiencing a post-pregnancy droop in your breasts like so many women. In either case, Dr. Grawe is here to help. At ROXY Plastic Surgery, we get a lot of questions about breast augmentation, and we’re happy to answer them! If you’ve been too shy to ask all the things you want to know about getting breast implants, these FAQs are a good place to start getting informed:

What are the differences between silicone and saline implants?

Saline implants are inserted empty and then filled with sterile salt water once the doctor has them in place. On the other hand, silicone implants are prefilled with a sticky gel and placed either over or under your breast tissue already in tact. Some patients say silicone feels more like natural breast tissue, but saline implants are also a popular choice. Both types of implants can lead to great breast augmentation results.

How long do implants last?

Most breast implants have a warranty that lasts 10 years, which explains why the recommendation used to be to replace them once a decade. However, more recent research shows that most patients don’t need to replace their implants automatically at the 10 year mark. The lifetime of your implants may be as long as 20 years, and you’ll make the decision about replacement alongside your doctor.

What is an implant profile?

Many patients get confused about implant profile because it seems like a high profile implant will give a faker or “higher” on the chest look. This is absolutely not true. The profiles are labeled in height by what they look like sitting on a table. This correlates with how much projection you have, not how high they are on your chest. So, what does this mean as a patient? If you have a narrow chest (wear a 32-36 size bra), then you would benefit from a higher profile implant to get more projection forwards and less “side boob”. If you have a wider chest (wear a 38-42 size bra), you might like a Moderate Plus Profile to fit your chest better.

How long is the recovery after a breast augmentation surgery?

Breast Augmentation is an outpatient procedure which takes about an hour. Because it is such a short procedure, patients typically spend very little time in recovery. The first three days are the hardest with a very tight feeling but as the implant settles, your discomfort subsides. Most women take a week off from work, can drive a week later and are back to working out again in 2 weeks.

Should I get under-muscle implants?

Many doctors are switching to over-muscle implants, meaning the implant is placed over your natural muscle tissue. Dr. Grawe prefers under-muscle implants, for these main reasons:

It’s easier to detect cancer. When your implant is under the muscle, the mammographer can move the implant out of the way and take a shot without the implant impeding the image.

They look more natural. If you don’t have a lot of breast tissue, putting the implant under the muscle will look more natural. When an implant goes on top of the muscle, it can look like you have two bocce balls on your chest.

Better perkiness. Implants that are placed over the tissue place more weight on your natural tissue. This can lead to drooping over time. Implants under the muscle don’t cause the same stress, so your augmentation will look perkier for longer.

Decreased likelihood of bad scar tissue. Rarely, a breast augmentation leads to something called capsular contracture. When this type of bad scar tissue forms, it looks like your body is shrink-wrapped around the implant. Breast implants placed under the muscle are less likely to develop capsular contracture.

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